Philabundance announces ambitious program to give people more than food

Monday, March 11, 2019

Photo by Jessica Griffin, Philadelphia Inquirer staff photographer.

Philabundance is embarking on a far-reaching plan to attack hunger.

Ambitiously titled “Ending Hunger. For Good,” the initiative will involve Philabundance’s collaborating with partners who provide social services to low-income people in the region, then monitoring the results over time.

Philabundance, the region’s leading hunger-relief agency, provides food for 350 neighborhood pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations in a nine-county area serving 90,000 people each week. But, like other major food banks across America that are rethinking the service they provide, the agency has decided to expand its role.

The idea is for Philabundance to enter into pilot partnerships with agencies that deal with issues such as financial literacy, health, housing, job assistance, and education.

It’s called a “food-plus” model, said Melanie Cataldi, chief impact officer at the agency, who’s heading a new department dedicated to establishing relationships with social-service organizations, as well as implementing and monitoring pilot results.

“People aren’t just hungry,” Cataldi said, explaining that low-income people without enough to eat also have other problems that need to be addressed. “We have to tackle them together.”

Ultimately, Philabundance is “looking to put ourselves out of business,” she added, ending the need for food banks.

It’s a tall order, starting with some small steps.

The initial pilot program began in mid-February, with a $50,000 grant from the private, independent HealthSpark Foundation in Colmar, Montgomery County.

After taking the six-week class, people are eligible to work with a financial coach for six months. Then, a Pottstown Cluster case manager will connect the participants to other resources to help them with utility, housing, and food issues.

If people in the program can save $500, they will be given an additional $250. The figure of $750 is important, said Chad Guth, director of family services at Habitat in West Norriton, Montgomery County. “If somebody has an emergency savings fund of $750 to $1,000, it prevents them from going into a downward crisis spiral if an emergency expense crops up,” he said.

The plan is to monitor the people in the pilot to see how they’re doing at various junctures, up to two years from now. The hope is that participants’ credit improves, and that they no longer need food pantries. Other pilots are expected to follow.

One of the pilot participants said the Almost Home financial-literacy course is already helping.

Calisha Littlejohn, 32, is a single mother and licensed practical nurse in Pottstown who was once homeless. Littlejohn said that she and her 6-year-old daughter use pantry food and food stamps to augment her low salary.

“I went into the first class and thought, ‘Oh, wow, this could be life-changing,’ ” Littlejohn said. "The way they explain and break down money helps. I used to spend like it didn’t matter. But I’m learning not to live for today, and to save.

“I’m gaining self-control. For me. that’s important knowledge.”

Philadelphia Media Network is one of 21 news organizations producing Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the city’s push toward economic justice. See all of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org.